Systems conventionally used to generate hydrogen and oxygen gases from the electrolysis of water and collect the combined product gases produced in a closed electrolytic chamber have several inherent weaknesses. Given the design of the electrolytic rods, such a system consumes large amounts of electricity.
Another weakness with conventional systems is in the cooling process which is not ideal because it only uses the cooling effect of a cooling fan to lower the temperature of the electrolytic solution in the electrolytic chamber. As a result, the gas production operation often stops because of overheating.
A third shortcoming of such a conventional hydrogen-oxygen generating system is that the combustion flame temperature is fixed, and therefore cannot be adjusted to the requirements of different flame temperatures needed for different industrial applications. Thus, such a conventional system is limited to use in operation scenarios with compatible temperature needs, cooling requirements, and energy usage. Hence, there is a long felt need for a more effectively cooled, compact, energy efficient, and widely applicable hydrogen-oxygen fuel generating electrolysis cell system.
A variety of such conventional systems have been disclosed in U.S. patents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,014,777 and 4,081,656 (Brown); U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,931 (Inoue); U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,324 (Haas); U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,106 (Rossoshinsky et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,558 (Chiang). The above-mentioned patents describe the production of hydrogen and oxygen in electrolysis units that do not use a liquid coolant. Torches using the fuel gas produced in such units have a very hot flame produced and have no means to adjust the ignition flame temperature.
Some systems try to overcome these shortcomings by circulating liquid coolant through the electrolytic cells or through cooling jackets for the cells. Examples of such cooling jackets are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,793 (Valdespino) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,361 (Hirai et al.). The cooling water for the jacket in ""361 is supplied from an external water cooling tank to the jacket around the electrolytic cell containing cylindrical bipolar electrodes. Gotz in U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,962 also uses a liquid coolant system for an electrolytic cell containing bipolar electrodes. Such use of liquid coolant, for a system in which oxygen and hydrogen are collected separately, is also disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 2003/0091880 (Joos et al.). Hsu in U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,100 describes a system combining a high temperature electrolyzer and a low temperature fuel cell. The system is cooled with a gas and/or liquid coolant such as water, carbon dioxide, or a fluorocarbon.
Another approach to correct for these shortcomings has been through the circulation and recycling of cooled electrolytic solution. Examples of electrolytic solution cooling and recycling are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,849 (Spicer) for a system in which oxygen and hydrogen products are collected separately, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,474 (Shoaf et al.) for a similar system used in a hybrid engine vehicle, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,831 (Weber) for a system producing hydrogen-oxygen fuel for an internal combustion engine, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,741 (Lin) and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,430 (de Souza et al.), also for automotive purposes. None of these disclosures include a separate liquid coolant system for the described generator systems.
Nasser in U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,863 tries to combine these two approaches by using a cooling pressure jacket and cooled and recycled electrolytic solution. However both the cooling fluid for the jacket and the circulating electrolytic solution include a gaseous phase for at least part of the circulation cycles.
A third approach to solving the above described shortcomings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,624 (Hsieh). An electrolytic fueling system for an engine produces hydrogen-oxygen fuel gases from a KOH solution. The produced gases xe2x80x9cascend through a plurality of angled drip platesxe2x80x9d for dehydration and then through an acetone container for cooling and decarbonization. The solution water dripped from the drip plates is caught in water absorbing sintered alloy blocks. There is no recycling of electrolytic solution and no liquid coolant circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,544 (Willey et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,872 (Rhodes) both disclose a means to adjust the flame properties in a torch using hydrogen-oxygen fuel produced by an electrolyzer. Rhodes can use an alkaline electrolytic solution with an air blower cooled cell in the ""872 system. Gases produced are passed through a methanol or equivalent fluid tank to reduce the oxygen content of the mix and to prevent excessive oxidizing of welded surfaces.
On the other hand, Willey et al. modifies the hydrogen-oxygen fuel gases in order to obtain a neutral welding torch flame. The ""544 system is made up of concentrically located nested electrode tubes using metal hydroxide, such as KOH, dissolved in water as an electrolyte. The produced hydrogen-oxygen fuel gas is bubbled through water in a de-mister along a meandering path past a plurality of horizontal plates in order to remove any KOH vapor contaminant. Residual moisture vapor is then coalesced onto a filter in order to fully dry the mixed fuel gas. Then the produced hydrogen-oxygen fuel gas is bubbled through a volatile combustible liquid, preferably hydrocarbon, prior to being sent to a flash arrestor and then on to a gas welding torch. Preferred volatile combustible liquids are toluene, hexane, heptane, methanol, ethanol and ketones such as acetone, butanone, etc. The temperature of the working fluid (electrolytic solution) is monitored and kept in the range of 55-75xc2x0 C. with actuating fans. There is no recycling and circulating of the working fluid to a cooling site outside of the cell. Neither is there a liquid coolant used for temperature control.
None of the above-described art combines a liquid coolant process with ignition flame temperature modification. Neither do any of them have a combined cooling system of both a liquid coolant circuit through the generator and cooled electrolytic solution circulation and recycling. Further, none of the electrolytic cells described in the above cited art are the same as the cells used in the present novel system which also includes a combined cooling system of both a liquid coolant circuit through the generator and cooled electrolytic solution circulation and recycling as well as ignition flame temperature modification of the mixed fuel gas produced.
Hence, the novel system herein presented can better address the shortcomings of the currently used conventional systems than can the prior art systems. Additionally, the novel system herein presented can better meet the need for a more effectively cooled, compact, energy efficient, and widely applicable hydrogen-oxygen fuel generating electrolysis cell system.
In order to achieve the objectives of the invention, the mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system in this invention uses an electrolytic solution to generate gaseous hydrogen-oxygen fuel with an improved and optimally effective cooling system. This novel generator system includes at least one electrolytic cell with multiple metallic plates used as an internal isolation system in which two of the plates separately connect to both the positive and negative terminal of a DC circuit. The cell contains electrolytic solution that generates hydrogen-oxygen fuel under pressure by using the bipolar plates to carry out electrolysis of the electrolytic solution.
As an illustration of this invention, a motor pumps the electrolytic solution out of the cell resulting in recirculation via the water cooling tank. Each of the two cell terminal plates has a temperature sensing switch as part of the cell temperature control mechanism. Since during operation the electrolytic cell temperature will gradually increase, the cooling system will be automatically turned on when the temperature is in excess of approximately 30xc2x0 C. The cooling system also contains a water cooling tank in which there are two zones: one is the electrolytic solution circulation coil and the another is a water circulation zone. This latter zone provides circulating cooling water used to adjust the temperature of the electrolytic solution within the electrolysis cell(s) to be within a predetermined temperature range. By controlling the temperature in this manner overheating is prevented and cell operation stoppage due to cell overheating is avoided. The cooling effect of the cooling water also assists in precipitating moisture out of the generated gases such as onto a series of angled drip plates. Thus, continuous 24 hours operation can be achieved with better efficiency and energy generation than what is seen in conventional systems.
The bipolar (+) (xe2x88x92) electrode plate design provides low electricity consumption and therefore reduced risk of electrocution. Further, cooling with pumped, circulated electrolytic solution provides more effective cooling than is seen in the above described conventional systems. Inclusion of a drip plate section not only can help to cut down the water content in the product gases, but also reduces losses of electrolytic solution thereby increasing efficiency. Additionally, a temperature-lowering fluid tank is used to adjust the flame ignition temperature of the gaseous hydrogen-oxygen fuel in order to meet the needs of different industrial applications.
Thus, it is an objective of this invention to present a novel and convenient mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system.
This novel mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system has a more efficient production methodology due to reduction of losses of electrolytic solution and a cooler operational temperature of the electrolytic cell(s).
Another objective of this invention is to present a mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system that has improved cooling through the use of cooling, circulating and recycling of the electrolytic solution as well as through the use of a water,coolant conduit passing through the system.
A further objective of this invention is to disclose a new mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system that uses a temperature-control fluid cell to adjust, as needed, the flame ignition temperature of the gaseous fuel in order to meet the requirements of different industrial applications.
Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a safer mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system with better insulation and operation at a lower power setting.
The instant invention is directed to an improved safer, compact, mobile, and efficient mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system comprising:
a. at least one electrolytic cell comprised of an electrolytic solution for the production of both hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and of components comprising at least one bipolar electrode plate connected to a suitable power source;
b. a water storage tank comprised of a hydrogen and oxygen gas collection upper chamber, a means to remove moisture from said gas, a means to cool fluids contained in said storage tank, a means to circulate said fluids contained in said storage tank as needed, and a lower chamber filled with said electrolytic solution to a level adequate for the effective functioning of said system;
c. at least one means to monitor and control operational conditions;
d. a cooling system comprised of:
i. a source of ice water;
ii. a circulation conduit for said electrolytic solution;
iii. a water cooling tank for the cooling of said electrolytic solution, circulating in said circulation conduit, with said ice water;
iv. a liquid coolant conduit for the flow of a liquid coolant through said generator system; and
v. at least one pump for pumping said electrolytic solution through said circulation conduit and for pumping said liquid coolant through said liquid coolant conduit;
e. a means to adjust, as needed, the ignition flame temperature of said hydrogen-oxygen fuel produced in said at least one electrolytic cell; and
f. a means to transfer said hydrogen-oxygen fuel to a combustion site.
The invention is further directed to an improved safer, compact, mobile, and efficient mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system comprising:
a. at least one electrolytic cell comprised of components including at least one bipolar electrode plate connected to an appropriate power source and an alkaline electrolytic solution for the production of both hydrogen gas and oxygen gas;
b. a water storage tank comprised of a hydrogen and oxygen gas collection upper chamber, a means to remove moisture from said gas, a means to cool fluids contained in said storage tank, a means to circulate said fluids contained in said storage tank as needed, and a lower chamber filled with said electrolytic solution to a level adequate for the proper functioning of said system;
c. at least one means to monitor and control operational conditions;
d. a cooling system comprised of:
i. a source of liquid coolant;
ii. a circulation conduit for said electrolytic solution;
iii. a liquid cooling tank for the cooling, with said liquid coolant, of said electrolytic solution circulating in said circulation conduit;
iv. a liquid coolant conduit for the flow of said liquid coolant through said generator system; and
v. at least one pump for pumping said electrolytic solution through said circulation conduit and for pumping said liquid coolant through said liquid coolant conduit;
e. a means to adjust, as needed, the ignition flame temperature of said hydrogen-oxygen fuel produced in said at least one electrolytic cell; and
f. a means to transfer said hydrogen-oxygen fuel to a combustion site; wherein said means to adjust ignition flame temperature is selected from the group of methods consisting of a first method comprised of passing air through a temperature-lowering fluid and mixing said air passed through said temperature-lowering fluid with said hydrogen-oxygen fuel prior to said transfer of said hydrogen-oxygen fuel to said combustion site and a second method comprised of passing said hydrogen-oxygen fuel through a temperature-lowering fluid prior to said transfer of said hydrogen-oxygen fuel to said combustion site.
The invention also provides an improved safer, compact, mobile, and efficient mixed hydrogen-oxygen fuel generator system comprising:
a. at least one electrolytic cell comprised of an alkaline electrolytic solution for the production of both hydrogen gas and oxygen gas and of components including at least one bipolar electrode plate connected to a power source;
b. a water storage tank comprised of a hydrogen and oxygen gas collection upper chamber, an inside of said upper chamber to which are secured at least two layers of drip plates at angles adequate to cause rising gases to rise in a zig-zag fashion, a means to remove moisture from said gas, a means to cool fluids contained in said storage tank, a means to circulate said fluids contained in said storage tank as needed, and a lower chamber filled with said electrolytic solution to a level adequate for the effective functioning of said system;
c. at least one means to monitor and control operational conditions;
d. a cooling system comprised of:
i. a source of liquid coolant;
ii. a circulation conduit for said electrolytic solution;
iii. a liquid cooling tank for the cooling, with said liquid coolant, of said electrolytic solution circulating in said circulation conduit;
iv. a liquid coolant conduit for the flow of said liquid coolant through said generator system; and
v. at least one pump for pumping said electrolytic solution through said circulation conduit and for pumping said liquid coolant through said liquid coolant conduit;
e. a means to adjust, as needed, the ignition flame temperature of said hydrogen-oxygen fuel produced in said at least one electrolytic cell; and
f. a means to transfer said hydrogen-oxygen fuel to a combustion site; wherein said means to remove moisture from said gas comprises said at least two layers of drip plates causing the precipitation of water vapor out of said rising gases.
The present invention provides the following advantages over the prior art:
(1) The use of high voltage, low current electrolysis for hydrogen gas generation can save on electricity use and increase the amount of hydrogen gas generated and reduce the volume required for the electrolytic tank.
(2) The new system allows for quick production of gases namely hydrogen and oxygen and there is no need for a gas storage facility.
(3) The unique setup can generate gas readily on demand. When the system is not being used there is no hydrogen/oxygen gases present therefore resulting in a reliable and safe system.
(4) In operation the system can regulate and control the temperature in the range from 800xc2x0 to 3000xc2x0 C.
(5) The system also has the advantage of reducing the generation of water vapor by using an ice bath recirculation system for cooling.